1984: The Graphic Novel

by George Orwell, Fido Nesti

Overview

One of the most influential books of the twentieth century gets the graphic treatment in this first-ever adaptation of George Orwell’s 1984.

War is Peace * Freedom is Slavery * Ignorance is Strength

In 1984, London is a grim city in the totalitarian state of Oceania where Big Brother is always watching you and the Thought Police can practically read your mind. Winston Smith is a man in grave danger for the simple reason that his memory still functions. Drawn into a forbidden love affair, Winston finds the courage to join a secret revolutionary organization called the Brotherhood, dedicated to the destruction of the Party. Together with his beloved Julia, he hazards his life in a deadly match against the powers that be.

With evocative, immersive art from Fido Nesti, this vision of George Orwell’s dystopian masterpiece provides a new perspective for longtime fans but is also an accessible entry point for young readers and adults who have yet to discover the iconic story that is still so relevant today. 
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780358359920
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	09/14/2021
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	28,617
Product dimensions:	10.00(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

ERIC ARTHUR BLAIR (1903–1950), better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist whose best-known works include the dystopian novel 1984 and the satirical novella Animal Farm. He is consistently ranked among the best English writers of the 20th century, and his writing has had a huge, lasting influence on contemporary culture. Several of his coined words have since entered the English language, and the word "Orwellian" is now used to describe totalitarian or authoritarian social practices.

FIDO NESTI, born in São Paulo, Brazil, is a self-taught artist who has worked in illustration and comics for more than twenty-five years. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, Playboy, Runner’s World, and Americas Quarterly, among other publications. He has also collaborated on illustrating various book covers for a range of publishing houses.

Editorial Reviews

05/24/2021

Orwell’s classic dystopian nightmare is lent new life in this atmospheric graphic adaptation by Brazilian artist Nesti. In Orwell’s bleak totalitarian world engaged in perpetual war, Big Brother is always watching (ever-present in the comic’s setting via ubiquitous ominous signs posted), and Thought Police stand guard to mete out brutal justice for thoughtcrimes. Hero Winston Smith, drawn as a drab everyman, is both gifted and cursed with pre-dictatorship memories, and reflects that “even the outline of your own life lost its sharpness.” When he enters into a forbidden love affair with Julia, a fellow apostate, together they join a secret revolutionary group called The Brotherhood. While this adaption is rather text-heavy—perhaps necessarily so to fully impart Orwell’s complex ideas—Nesti’s accessible gray and orange drawings provide balance and light, giving Orwell’s oppressive vision a lyrical touch. His artistic style also lends a Depression-era vibe, one that would have read as retro even in 1949, when the novel was originally published. This artful reinterpretation reminds how Orwell’s warnings of the dangers of authoritarianism have remained frighteningly timeless. Agent: Bill Hamilton, A.M. Heath. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

"Hand this to readers who are new to 1984 or hesitant to take up a classic."—Booklist —

From the Publisher

★ 06/01/2021

In 1984, Great Britain has been renamed Airstrip One, a small province in one of three perpetually warring totalitarian super-states that rule the entire world. Mass surveillance is the norm for denizens of Airstrip One, as is the terror of being accused of disloyalty to the ruling party and its enigmatic leader, Big Brother. Nevertheless, after acquiring a small diary, Winston Smith begins recording his memories, thoughts, and feelings—including his displeasure at working for the Ministry of Truth, where he's responsible for revising historical records to suit Big Brother's needs—and observations about how the Party encourages ignorance and isolation. When a woman named Jane unexpectedly pledges her love for him, she and Winston begin a passionate affair—despite the Party's ban against sex for any purpose other than reproduction. Soon, the pair are drawn into contact with an underground resistance movement; following a shocking betrayal, their love is tested as they face interrogation within the windowless confines of the Ministry of Love. VERDICT Brazilian illustrator Fido Nesti employs a muted color palette and a tight nine-panel layout to stress the gloomy, hopelessly claustrophobic existence of those pinned under Big Brother's thumb. An excellent adaptation of the novel.

Library Journal